Best Soup and Sandwich Pairing Ideas
Katie Rudenga / Foodservice Tips, Restaurant Tips / November 2

Whether your establishment’s menu revolves around sandwiches or you’re just trying to find a way to celebrate national sandwich month, you don’t want to miss out on offering the best soup and sandwich pairings. There is nothing better on a cool fall or winter day than a warm cup of soup. However soup just does not always seem filling enough. With the right food paired with it though it can feel more like a complete meal. That’s why soup and sandwich pairings have become such a successful trend. The two work together so perfectly and there are so many options and combinations to work with. But what are the very best soup and sandwich pairings to serve? This list of the best soup and sandwich pairing ideas will help you develop a menu with delicious options, resulting in not only happy customers but also improved sales.
Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese
This pairing is an iconic classic. The tomato soup and grilled cheese combo is a frequent staple on menus because these two food items work perfectly together. Whether you’re someone who just eats them as a combo or goes for dipping the sandwich in your soup, this pairing will be great to have. It even leaves room for customization with grilled cheeses with adding things like bacon.
Potato Soup and Ham and Cheese Paninis
Ham and potatoes work really well together in most food dishes, and adding cheese makes the combination even better. You get the best of it all together when you pair potato soup and a ham and cheese panini. It’s another perfect combination for the crowd that loves to dip their sandwich in their soup. Plus it still works if you add cheese or bacon to the soup.
French Onion Soup and Steak and White Cheddar Sandwich
Beef goes well with cheese and onions together on one sandwich. So it is no surprise that removing the onion from the steak sandwich and using it for a soup pairing works so well. Thus this is another pairing that works for dipping. You can almost look at it as a spin off of a beef sandwich with au jus to dip in but instead it’s onion soup.
Black Bean Soup and Cubano
A lot of different sides go well with the Cubano. You might be the potato side crowd or the standard black bean crowd. Black beans do pair very well with a cubano sandwich, so why wouldn’t black bean soup? It gives you the best of both worlds of having a soup with your sandwich and the great combination of a cubano and black beans.
Split Pea Soup and a Ham Club
Ham is a key ingredient in split pea soup, so it should be no surprise that this soup pairs well with ham sandwiches. However, you might be concerned about a cold club sandwich being paired with a warm soup. The two senses actually work pretty well together considering all the flavors involved. It just may not be the right pair for that sandwich dipping crowd.
Matzo Ball Soup and Reubens
This combination takes a more simple-flavored dish and something bold and puts them together in the best way. It takes the tanginess of a Reuben and matches it with the savory chicken flavors of the matzo ball soup, making for a perfect meal. These two can go so well together there’s a recipe for Reuben stuffed matzo balls you can try.
Clam Chowder and Lobster Rolls
A seafood sandwich needs a seafood soup. Both the clam chowder and the lobster roll originate from New England and come together to make an excellent combo. You might be wondering why not use a lobster bisque instead of clam chowder though. Rather than overwhelm on lobster with this seafood themed pairing it works better to get a blend of seafoods. Thus the clams and lobster combo.
